SURF CITY — The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will free up right-of-way space on both sides of the recently demolished swing bridge and new high-rise bridge for the town to add up to 180 parking spaces. The state agency also approved $550,000 for the town to use for landscaping portions of the new bridge.
According to Mayor Doug Medlin, two areas have already been secured: one is located on Roland Avenue near Sear’s Landing, on the west side of where the swing bridge once spanned the Intracoastal Waterway, and the other is just south of the new Topsail Island roundabout.
Medlin said the additional parking spaces will relieve pressures to nearby businesses where both locals and visitors have started parking to walk on the new bridge.
NCDOT engineer Chad Kimes said the second location is on property taken by the state through eminent domain, a move that forced the former owner of Crabby Mike’s to close his restaurant.
The parking spaces will be built next to a stormwater pond installed during the bridge construction project.
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He also said that while these agreements with municipalities don’t happen often, it is a result of allowing state-owned right-of-way space to be used for the public good.
“It’s one of those deals that doesn’t happen a lot,” Kimes said. “When you’re that close to a park, or a waterway, we’re all about letting the town use the right-of-way space for additional parking.”
He also said the NCDOT is still in discussions with the town to secure additional parking spaces on right-of-way areas near the old swing bridge that are still under state ownership.
Mayor Medlin said he hopes an additional 100 spaces will be included in these now-undetermined areas. He expected the first few spaces to be ready by the beginning of June.
According to Kimes, an agreement will be made where the town will be charged with the maintenance of the new parking lots.
Town officials also announced on Thursday morning that they were able to secure “larger, directional signage” and lighting for the two new roundabouts, each located on opposite sides of the new bridge.
Half-a-million dollars for landscaping
Kimes said plans for various landscaping projects on the new bridge were finalized yesterday between officials from the town and NCDOT.
“With every big project we build, like the Hampstead Bypass and the Surf City Bridge, the state allows one percent of the total construction costs to go towards landscaping,” Kimes said.
He said total costs for the bridge came out to $55 million, which means about $550,000 can be used by the town — in any way they see fit — for various landscaping projects on the new bridge.
Medlin said the recent agreements between the town and the NCDOT was a cause for celebration.
“I’m doing everything I can to get money out of the state,” Medlin said.
Mark Darrough can be reached at Mark@Localvoicemedia.com
